SBB – SBB & Michał Urbaniak (2015)

SBB

Józef Skrzek - bass/keyboards
Apostolis Anthimos - guitar
Jerzy Piotrowski - drums
Michał Urbaniak - violin

SBB & Michał Urbaniak

POLSKIE RADIO 1982



By Adam Baruch

This is a live recording at Polish Radio Studio Three by the legendary Polish trio SBB (keyboardist bassist/composer Józef Skrzek, guitarist Apostolis Anthimos and drummer Jerzy Piotrowski), who are joined on four tracks by no less legendary Polish violinist/composer Michał Urbaniak. The album presents nine compositions, most of them by Skrzek, which originate mostly from their early albums, which are now about forty years old.

I have attended a similar live gig by SBB at about the same time at the underground concert hall located in the "Guido" coal mine in Zabrze (Silesia) and my reflections are quite similar in both cases. SBB are a living legend and absolutely masterly musicians, who changed the face of Polish Music and even Polish Culture, but they continue to play the same material for far too long to be attractive any more. Of course the music is great and the atmosphere is electric, but every SBB fan has heard this music many times before. Even Urbaniak's contributions, as electrifying as they are, make to impact whatsoever as to the basic feeling of déjà vu.

One very positive factor about this specific recording is the fact that this is the best sounding recording by SBB ever, which is perhaps good enough reason to buy this album. Other than that, nihil novi sub sole…